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Why do giraffes have black tongues?

Giraffes may be known for their long necks, but that's not their only creature feature their tongues are over a foot and a half long and, more noticeably, black! But why is that so?

Dark colors absorb light, versus reflecting it like lighter ones do. Because giraffes are constantly sticking out their tongues to help them grab the tastiest leaves possible, the dark color helps prevent them from getting a sunburn in their mouth! (Ouch!)

Further information

The giraffe's favorite food is the prickly leaves of the acacia tree and, luckily, they have evolved enough so that it's not a pain to eat “” they have extra-thick saliva to protect the inside of their mouths from thorns, and use their tongues to drag leaves across their teeth in order to make sure that they're only eating the most delicious parts of that particular branch!